


I Know You're Tiny... but Cats Can't Bruise You

by ladeedadaday



Category: Mean Girls (2004), Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey
Genre: Abuse, Bruises, F/F, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Platonic Cuddling, protective friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24281479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladeedadaday/pseuds/ladeedadaday
Summary: Janis is having issues at home, Aaron is protective, Damian is going to do whatever he can to help her.
Relationships: Damian Hubbard & Janis Sarkisian, Janis Sarkisian & Aaron Samuels, Regina George/Janis Sarkisian
Comments: 19
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

The first time Damian noticed something off with Janis... He remembered it was the day she came in, her body almost completely bruised and she winced every time she had to move. "You okay, Jan?" She had nodded, dismissing the entire situation. "Okay, but tell me if you ever need anything or if you need help." He said, even though he knew she wouldn't ever tell him unless she was desperate for help.

He started to get even more concerned when the light in her eyes began to dim. She was more lifeless and less vivacious than she used to be. Gone were the snippy remarks and the jokes and the funny faces. Now, she seemed to be on constant autopilot.

But Damian couldn't wait any longer to speak up when she showed up with a black eye, bruises, and cuts everywhere her skin  was exposed . "Darling..."

"It was my cat. I promise I'm okay," She lied.

"Sweetheart, I know you're tiny but cats can't bruise you." She glared at him and he would  be scared, but she had been his best friend for most of their lives. That glare didn't worry him anymore. "It's not going to do you any good if you lie to me, hon."

She pouted. "I'll talk to you and Aaron tonight, mmkay? It's too risky to say it here." Damian nodded. "I'll be okay."

"Promise?" Janis nodded. "I trust you, Jan. Aaron's gonna flip out at lunch when he sees you." She sighed, knowing full well he would. "We both want you to be happy."

Janis sniffed, wincing as she nodded. "I want the same for you guys. Aaron's  just  a little more protective."

"Because you're small." Janis rolled her eyes, flashing him a half smile.

Damian was right. Aaron flipped out. He  delicately  held Janis's face in his hands. "Who did this to you?" He whispered, searching her face for anything he might've missed.

"Not now. Not here." He furrowed his eyebrows, running his thumbs over her cheeks. “I’m okay, Aaron. It doesn’t even hurt that bad.”

“Jan... I want you to be safe.” He let go of her face and pulled her to his chest.

“Jeez, not so rough, dude. My whole body’s bruised, not only my face.” Aaron and Damian shared a sigh. “Everything’s okay.”

”Everything’s not okay, love. Somebody hurt you and I don’t know what we can do about it and I’m scared. I never get scared.” Damian was trembling, shaking with anger for Janis.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll be okay.”

Aaron held her closer. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“I know you will. But I don’t need you to because everything’s gonna be fine.” She smiled, and even though it didn’t reach her eyes, it was nice to see her smiling again.

Everything was not fine. Aaron picked Janis up from her house to take her to Damian's house for movie night and she was sobbing. "Janis, what happened?"

"It hurts so bad," She cried, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I want it to stop."

He offered her his hand, which she took right away, clutching it like her life depended on it. "We'll get you some medicine once we're at Damian's. And we can hold you until you feel safe and happy again."

"That sounds nice." She admitted. "I need sleep though..." She trailed off. 

"Okay. You can have the bed I usually sleep in. It's bigger." She shook her head as soon as he made the offer. "Jan, I want you to. Please?" 

Janis made a noise of agreement. "Fine, I guess." 

"Thank you." She looked out the window at the blur of colours before she gave into sleep. "Night, Jan." 

Damian was extremely concerned when Aaron carried a limp Janis into his house and laid her down on the couch. "What happened to her?" 

"She's just asleep." Aaron reassured. He visibly relaxed at that. "Poor thing. I think it's been a while since she actually got some sleep and I'm not gonna bother waking her up." 

"God, she's bleeding a lot more than she was earlier..." Damian noticed. "Take her jacket off." 

Aaron hesitated. "Are you sure? She doesn't ever want me to see her without her jacket." Damian nodded. After another moment of thought, Aaron took it off, revealing bruises and scars and cuts all over her skin. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and quickly widened as she felt the cold air on her arms. She reached for her jacket as soon as she noticed her arms were bare, but Damian yanked it away from her. 

"Janis, darling." She sat up, shaking her head. "Who did all this?" 

"Depends. Which part?" The boys looked back at her, confused. "It wasn't just one person." 

"Who gave you all these bruises?" 

"Shane Oman and the guys from the football team..." Aaron gritted his teeth and stood up. Janis grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. "Don't hurt him. He'll kill me." 

Now, they both knew that Janis was only exaggerating, but they didn't doubt that he could kill her if he really wanted to. "Okay. Only to keep you safe, though." 

She hummed. "Can we watch a movie now?" 

"No. You still have to tell us who cut you." 

"Parents." She answered, simply. Damian and Aaron shared a look of horror. 

Damian sat next to her and grabbed her hand. "Jan, we're telling my mom." She silently pleaded with him but he wouldn't give in. "You're not safe. You're hurting. I don't like to see that, love."

"There's nothing you can do about it. My parents will kill me before you can get me out of there." Aaron felt the gears in his brain turning. 

"She's right. So we have to do it right now and hide her. It's a Band-Aid kind of situation." Damian processed this for a moment. 

"Okay. But we'll have to bring her somewhere where her parents won't look for her. Because they're gonna look here and they'll go to your house, too." 

A moment of silence hung in the air. "Bring me to Regina's. We may or may not have made up a while ago. Plus her mom loves me. They'd keep me safe." 

"Alright. Mom!" Damian yelled. His mother walked in, holding her laptop. "Janis needs help. And we need to bring her to Regina's house. And call the cops on her parents." 

It was a lot to explain and Janis was exhausted but she did it anyways because she knew she'd eventually get some sleep. Mrs. Hubbard hugged her immediately as she finished, but Janis whimpered in pain and she was let go. "Sorry, dear." 

"It's fine, it just hurts a little bit." She picked her jacket from off the ground and wrapped it around herself. "Can we go now? I'm getting anxious."

"Yes, of course, sweetheart." Damian took her hand as they walked to the car. "It's all gonna be okay."

She hadn't even noticed, but tears started running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." 

"No! Don't be sorry. None of this is your fault." Aaron was quick to comfort her. Over the short time they had been friends, she'd become like a sister to him and he'd do anything to keep her safe. He'd jump in front of a bus for her. And she felt the same about him, even though if she got hit by a bike she'd likely break something. 

"I ruined movie night." She whined. "I'm so sorry." 

Damian kissed her forehead. "Don't be. We love you and we're just glad you're safe." 

"I love you guys." 

\----

Mrs. George welcomed her with open arms and even Regina gave her a hug after hearing the story. "Janis..." Regina whispered. "Oh, Jan, I'm so sorry..." 

"It's okay. I'll be fine." Regina studied her for a moment before tucking her hair behind her ear. 

"Why don't you come upstairs with me? You can sleep, wash up, watch TV, anything you'd like." Janis nodded, taking the stairs two at a time. Regina stayed behind to talk to Aaron and Damian. "Hey, I know we're not on great terms right now, but thank you for taking care of Janis. She's amazing and I just want her to be safe and happy." 

"We both want the same." Damian said, in agreement. "So she's good to stay here for a while?" Regina nodded. "Okay. Thank you." 

Mrs. George and Mrs. Hubbard were chatting as they heard sirens in the distance. "I know they're probably not the same ones coming for Jan's parents. Still, I can't help but wonder." Mrs. George remarked.

"I hope it is. That poor girl." 

Regina ran up the stairs to go to her room after saying goodbye to the Hubbards and Aaron. 

"Hey, Jan?" Regina called, getting no response. She opened the door to her room, finding Janis fast asleep in a chair. "I can't let her sleep like this." Regina muttered, shocked at how incredibly light the girl was. She placed her on the bed carefully, cuddling up next to her like they used to when they were little. "You gotta be okay... peanut." She smiled at the nickname and swore she could see the corners of Janis's lips turn up. "I love you. You'll be safe soon. I promise." 


	2. Hidden

To put it simply, Janis was disoriented when she woke up in Regina's arms. "What happened?" 

"Morning, Jan. I didn't assume you'd wake up so soon." Janis wriggled out of her embrace and sat up, yawning. "I'm gonna go make breakfast."

She tossed Janis a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. "I can, if you want. I've gotten pretty good at cooking," She offered, heading into the bathroom. Regina gave her no response. "I'll make you pancakes." She bribed.

Regina grinned outside the door. "You mean you'll make me Jancakes?" Her laugh rang out through the room. "Okay. But at least let me help you clean up or something."

"Deal," Janis agreed, stepping out of the bathroom, smirking. "You let me win." 

"I figured it was about time, doll." Janis slipped her hand into Regina's and they went down the stairs together, to be greeted by Mrs. George. 

"Hello, girls! How'd you sleep?" Mrs. George asked, sipping her coffee. 

Janis began rifling through the cabinets for the pancake mix. "Good. You?" Mrs. George raised her eyebrows. She didn't seem to be used to people asking her questions about herself. 

"Great, thank you for asking!" Regina took a seat at the counter beside her mother. "Are you making your famous Jancakes?" 

Janis grinned. "You know it! Can I get you guys anything to drink?" Regina shook her head. "You sure?" Regina glared until Janis gave up. "Okay." She took a glass out of the cabinet to pour herself some water. 

Almost in slow motion, it slipped out of Janis's hand and shattered all over the ground. Her arms flew in front of her face as a reflex to block any incoming hits. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I promise! I'm so sorry!" She cried. Regina approached her slowly, calmly, and quietly. When they were little, Janis would have little breakdowns when she got too overwhelmed, and Regina was the only one allowed near her for half an hour. Regina decided to approach this the same way. She wouldn't touch her, she'd have Janis touch her first to not freak her out. 

"You're safe. Nobody's going to hurt you. I know you probably can't hear me wherever you are, but you're not with your parents anymore. I love you." She blindly reached for Regina's hand, squeezing it hard. 

Regina squeezed back. "Too bright." Janis whispered.

"Mom, I need a sweatshirt or a jacket or something please." Regina said in a hushed voice. Her mom tossed her a dark grey jacket. "Here..." She placed it over Janis's head so the light wouldn't overwhelm her anymore. "I promise it's okay. I'm right here. You're safe. I'm not going to hurt you." 

It was then that Kylie came into the kitchen. "Why's Janis crying, Mom?" 

"I'm not sure, dear. But you know how when you get sad, you only let me near you?" Kylie nodded. "Janis does that, too, but Regina's the only one allowed near her." 

"Okay!" Kylie said, sitting down at the table. 

Janis pulled the jacket off her head. "Thank you, 'Gina." She wrapped her arms around Regina, holding her tight and delivering one of her bear hugs. "I'm really sorry. I'll clean it up." 

"No way, babe. I trust you enough to finish the pancakes, but I'm cleaning this up." She hesitated before standing up to pour the batter on the griddle. 

"Oh, hi, Kylie." Janis greeted, giving her a small smile and ruffling her hair. "What do you want in your pancakes?" 

"Blueberries, please." She nodded, walking to the fridge. 

"Gina, what do you want in yours?" Janis asked making her way to the sink to rinse the blueberries.

Regina answered as she threw the shards of glass away. "Chocolate, please." 

"Got it. Kylie, will you get the syrup and the whipped cream?" She obeyed, hopping off her stool and opening the fridge. 

Soon after, the pancakes were done and the girls all sat at the table, ready to take the first bite. "Mmm, Janis your pancakes are so good," Regina moaned, shoving more food in her mouth. "This is why I'm so happy you're here. And 'cause you're safe." 

"Uh-huh. Sure, princess." Janis teased. 

"Haven't heard that nickname in a while." She thought out loud. "I really did miss you, y'know." 

"I did too!" Kylie said, swinging her legs under the table. 

"I missed you guys. And I missed your cuddles, Gina." 

She laughed. "So, Karen and Gretch are coming over later today to go to the mall. You want to come with?" Janis shrugged, resting her head on her hand. "I won't let them tease you." 

"Hm, okay. But I refuse to hold any of your bags."

Regina sighed, jokingly. "Fine." 


	3. Hairbrush

"Hey, Jan? Can I brush your hair before we leave?" Regina asked, putting on a coat of mascara. 

"Okay!" Janis called from the hallway. "Wait, shit, don't we have school?"

Regina scoffed, "We're staying home today. It's safer here." Janis didn't respond. "The school hasn't done anything about Shane yet, so you're not going back until he's gone." 

The doorknob to the bedroom turned and Janis walked out. Regina beckoned her over and began running a comb through her hair. "How'd you find out about him?" 

"Damian told me. Now, shh, just relax and don't worry about _anything_." Janis leaned against Regina and let herself slip into a state of peacefulness. Regina kissed her hair and smiled down at the older girl. "I know you probably can't hear me," Regina whispered, "But I really need you to know that you're safe now. I'll do everything I can do to keep you happy, and safe, and healthy... I love you." 

"You love me?" Janis laughed. 

Regina hummed. "Yes. And I mean it. Although, I didn't think you'd hear that."

"You're sweet." Janis smiled. "Is it possible for me to wear pants instead of shorts to the mall?"

"Absolutely. I was just kinda thinking you'd prefer something loose so you wouldn't be putting pressure on your bruises or anything." Janis shrugged. "Okay. Well, whatever makes you comfortable." 

"Thanks." Janis smiled up at her. "So, Regina... I don't know if you know, but I actually, uh, work at the mall." 

"Really?" She nodded, grinning. "Where and when?" 

"At the ripoff version of Lush. Most days after school. I tried to avoid going home for as long as I could. Luckily for you, Friday is my day off." 

Regina cackled, and her laugh made Janis giggle. "Okay. Well you'll have to show me around sometime. Promise?" 

"I promise, princess." Janis heard her phone ding in her jacket. "Hang on. 'S probably Damian."

 **loml:** howre things with regina

 **janis:** kinda weird. i could be wrong but i'm pretty sure there's like a ton of sexual tension??

 **loml:** i mean you had a friend breakup, you made up, and you're suddenly living together. your gay ass can't handle that yet

 **janis:** yeah i didn't realy expect to wake up in the arms of literally the prettiest girl i've ever met

 **loml:** gay

 **janis:** i know you are but what am i 

**loml:** you're mean

 **janis:** yeah probably

 **loml:** i love you anyway

 **janis:** i love you 2

 **loml:** not as much as you love regina 

**janis:** damian don't do this againnnn please

 **loml:** am i allowed to do a little teasing? 

**janis:** um 

**janis:** i'd prefer it if you didn't

 **janis:** it kinda gives me flashbacks and shit

 **loml:** that's okay

 **janis:** i hate not being able to joke around without freaking out

 **loml:** you're so strong bb

 **janis:** i try :/

 **loml:** now go talk to regina!!

Regina was still combing through Janis's hair with her fingers. Janis sighed, "That feels so good. You have no idea." Regina snickered. "Don't laugh at me," She whined. "I don't have any bruises so it feels better than anything, like, ever." 

"I'm very glad you feel good. You deserve it." Janis could feel herself beginning to blush. Honestly, it shocked her that she'd made it so long without blushing. Regina hummed. "What were you talking about with Damian?"

"Oh, he just asked me how I'm doing." She said nonchalantly, like she hadn't just admitted that she had been crushing on Regina for a while. 

"Uh-huh. Most beautiful girl you've ever seen, hmm?" Janis immediately felt her face turn bright red. "You're sitting right in front of me, sweet. You're wonderful in school but your street smarts could use some work, pretty." 

Janis wasn't exactly sure how to answer. "When we were little, you never would've said that I'm pretty. You always told me I was ugly." Regina bit her lip.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I was so horrible to you." 

"You were better than my parents." Janis snorted. Regina didn't respond. "Uh, sorry, that was pretty dark." 

Regina held Janis's bruised hands. Her knuckles were cut, but they had already scabbed over. She kissed Janis's hurt knuckles over and over, tears running down her face. "I love you," She cried. 

"It hurts." Janis remarked. "Gina, it hurts so bad."

"I'm so sorry, Janis. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. You don't deserve to hurt this bad." She let go of Janis's hand to kiss her neck.

She sighed contently, running her fingers through Regina's hair. "What are we doing, Gina?" 

"I don't know, but I like it." She whispered in between kisses. "I love you," Regina whispered once again. This time, though, it felt different. It felt more real than all the other time she said it. 

"I love you, too." Janis turned her head to look at Regina. "I love you so much." She repeated. 

"Jan, I'll go as soon as you say so, but I need to know, do you want more?" She nodded desperately. Regina pulled Janis's body to hers, pressing their lips together. She bit at Janis's bottom lip, drawing a small moan from her. "I've wanted this for so long." She mumbled against Janis. 

Janis broke the kiss, grinning. "Me too." They held each other in content silence. "So are we, like, girlfriends now or...?" 

"I'm not sure. What do you want to be?"

"Well, I'd love to be your girlfriend, but I don't want us to rush into anything. I... I really like you and I don't want to risk losing something great." Janis stared into Regina's bright blue eyes. "It's all going to work out. I'll make sure it will." 

"I know. I'll make sure, too." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shh i know janis is younger than regina but we're pretending


	4. Old Orchard Mall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Homphobic slurs, threats, panic attack,

Although she knew there was absolutely nothing to worry about, Janis grew more and more anxious as Regina drove to Gretchen's house. Regina noticed her picking at her cuticles and said, "I can hear your teeth clicking, babe. You okay?" 

"I haven't hung out with Karen and Gretch in a long time." Janis answered simply, choosing to look out the window instead of at Regina. "I just don't know how they're going to react and it scares me."

"It'll be okay." Regina assured her, placing her hand on one of Janis's. "Darling, if they aren't accepting of you, we'll leave and watch a movie together." Deep down, Janis knew she was right, but it still didn't get through to her. "Breathe, love." She squeezed her hand to ground her and make her focus on something other than her worry. 

Janis sighed, letting go of Regina's hand. "I just wish I wasn't so nervous all the time. It's really inconvenient." She laughed. 

"You're doing great." Regina looked away from the road for a few seconds to look at Janis. Janis wasn't looking back at her. "Are you hungry yet?"

"No, not currently." Janis said, sounding dazed and distracted. "What happened to my parents?"

 _Ah, okay. I see what's going on._ "Janis, darling... You shouldn't be worried about them. They hurt you, Janis. Over and over, and you still somehow care about them."

She bit her lip, absentmindedly fingering her bruises. They were fading fast, but the memories would haunt her for a lifetime. "They're still my parents." It was a conflicting situation, and she recognized that. "I'm still supposed to love them, aren't I?" 

Regina didn't answer for a while, possibly thinking about how to answer Janis. "Jan, they hurt you so badly. I really don't know what I can say." 

"It really wasn't that bad. I managed. I got to eat, I got an okay amount of sleep, it was fine." She mumbled, now casting her gaze upon Regina. "I could handle the pain, it was fine." 

Regina looked over at her in horror. "Janis, you shouldn't have to 'handle your pain.' You shouldn't get hurt by your parents, babe."

"I know." She said, her voice dropping to a whisper. The car pulled up to Gretchen's house. "Here we go..." Gretchen came practically skipping out of the house and down the driveway. 

When she saw Janis, her eyebrows practically became a part of her hairline. "Oh, uh, hi! I didn't know you were coming." Janis gave her an awkward smile. "Regina, is she cool now?" 

Regina didn't have to even think about her answer. "Yes. Janis is going through something rough right now, and she's staying with me while we get it fixed." Janis pulled her phone out of her pocket, typing something and showing it to Regina. It made her smile. One of those smiles that made her nose scrunch up and the light shine in her bright blue eyes. One of the smiles she only saw as a kid. One of the smiles that made her heart flutter. One of the smiles that made her fall in love with Regina in the first lace. 

The message read, _Thank you for not telling her without asking first. <3 _

"Are we picking Karen up or is she meeting us there?" Gretchen asked, on her phone doing who knows what. 

"She's meeting us there." Janis let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. 

The rest of the car ride was awkward and long. Janis waited and waited for it to be finished. Karen squealed when she saw them. She ran over and hugged Janis, "Karen, you're crushing my lungs." She choked out. Karen immediately let go of he.

"I'm sorry, Janis! I was just really excited to see you!" Janis smiled at her, patting her shoulder so she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know, it's okay. I just had a rough fall and I got a bunch of bruises so it hurt a little." Over Karen's shoulder, Janis saw Regina raise her eyebrow. 'I'm not ready,' She mouthed. Regina nodded, busying herself with something that Gretchen was saying. 

"Oh, look, it's Shane!" Karen said, chipperly, completely unaware o the spiral it would send Janis into.

Janis managed to stumble over to Regina and whisper, "Shane's here..." Tears in her eyes, threatening to spill, Regina took her hand and guided her to the bathroom. As soon as she hit the tiled ground of the bathroom, the tears spilling over. Regina held a shaking, sobbing Janis in her arms, stroking her hair in a futile attempt to calm her. "If he sees us... he'll kill me." 

"I won't let him hurt you. I swear on my life I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again." Her breathing was concerningly unsteady and it wasn't getting any better, no matter how many times Regina rubbed her back or squeezed her hand. 

Regina heard her phone ding. Just in case, she decided to check it. 

**gretchen:** shane is going to find you in the bathroom i'm so sorry is janis doing okay??

 **regina:** no janis is having a panic attack and i can't let shane hurt her

 **gretchen:** i'm so sorry i tried to stall him but he wanted to find you

 **regina:** it'll be okay. it has to be

"Janis, I don't want you to be any more scared, but Shane is coming to find us." This only made her sob louder. "I know, I know you're scared, baby, but I won't let him hurt you." Janis bit her lip in an honest effort to keep herself quiet. "Go hide in a stall, I let you know when it's safe to come out." She nodded silently, opening the door and hiding away. Regina started fixing her hair and making it look like she was just fixing her appearance, not comforting her friend who just had a panic attack. 

"Hey, Regina." Shane said, strutting into the bathroom like he owned the place. He slipped his arm around her waist. She had to physically restrain herself from punching him. She took some deep breaths to calm herself. "Karen told me you were hanging out with the space dyke." The utter disgust with which he said 'dyke' made Regina's stomach churn. "I can take care of her for you. Turn her into a pile of bones and blood, I can get the guys to fuck her, whatever you want." Janis couldn't hold in a whimper. "What was that?" 

"My shoes." She squeaked her shoes against the ground. "See?" 

"No, it sounded like... some sort of alien." She shuddered. Janis knew that Shane knew that she was the one in the stall. "Like... could it be? The space dyke?" He pounded on the door. "Open the fucking door, dyke!" He yelled. She couldn't breathe.

Too much.

Too much llight.

Too much noise.

Door is open.

Something hurts.

Dull pain.

No blood.

Just hurt.

Brain stopping. 

Lights going out.

Screams. Not mine. 

Low screams. 

Hug. 

Regina.

Perfume. Yuck.

Blood. Not mine.

Safe. 

Shane gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that ending was just how my brain works when i'm overwhelmed. i have really short thoughts. nothing more than two or three words. i thought it applied for this situation.


	5. Tired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of rape

"You're okay. He's gone." Regina said, crying herself. "I'm so sorry. I promised I wouldn't let him hurt you and I failed." Regina held her as tight as she could, pressing kisses to her forehead. 

It was almost an out of body experience. There was nothing that she could focus on. She got hurt again. Shane threatened to have the guys from the football team rape her again. Shane threatened to hurt her again. Regina promised. Regina lied. "You promised me." She cried. 

Regina sniffed, stroking her hair. "I know. I'm so sorry. I tried to stop him, you know I did."

"I do. But it hurts so bad." The absolute pain in Janis's hoarse voice made Regina want to murder everyone who'd ever hurt her. It was only then that she realized Janis had been screaming so much it had made her throat sore. "I wish it would stop." She shuddered, running her fingers over where Shane had just hit her. She was going to have a black eye tomorrow, but she could cover it up with makeup. _Regina's good at makeup. She'll help me._ "Where'd he go? Is it safe?"

"I don't know." Regina sobbed, attempting to pull herself together. Janis took Regina into her arms this time. "I'm sorry, Janis. I just don't like to see you hurting. I can hear in your voice that you've been screaming a lot and I hate thinking about it." 

Janis rubbed her thumb against her cheek and leaned over to kiss her. "Then don't." She smiled weakly. "I'm safe now. Uh, safe-ish. And you'll probably never have to hear me scream, alright?" 

"Probably?" She whimpered. 

"I have nightmares sometimes, but that's it." Regina nodded, playing with Janis's fingers. "Are you going to be okay?"

"You don't need to worry about me. Not when you're hurting like this." She insisted. "My problems aren't anywhere near yours, I shouldn't be upset!" 

Janis looked down at their intertwined hands, bruising her fingers over the back of Regina's hand. "Regina, look at me." She obeyed. "Your problems are just as valid as mine, love. Even if you haven't gone through as much as me, you've still gone through a lot and that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to be upset. You're allowed to have feelings, love." 

"But I feel guilty because you somehow manage to hold yourself together and I'm too weak to handle even the littlest things and I don't know how to control it, Janis!" Regina buried her face in Janis's shoulder. 

"You've been holding that back for a while now, huh?" Regina whimpered, and Janis took that as a yes. "It's okay. Let it all out. You're allowed to feel. You don't have to hold anything in." She promised. "I'll always be here for you to talk to and if you ever want advice or whatever, I'm always here." 

Janis observed that Regina's tears had left a wet spot on her jacket when she lifted her head. "I love you. You're amazing." 

The girls smiled before sharing a soft, delicate kiss. "I love you, too. But seriously, I'm always here for you, no matter what you need from me." 

"Thank you, babe." A ding came from her phone. "It's Gretchen."

 **gretchen:** shane left you guys can come out now

 **regina:** thank you so much, gretchen

 **gretchen:** ya no problem 

**gretchen:** is janis okay now?

"Gretchen wants to know if you're okay. What do you want me to tell her?" Regina asks, not bringing her eyes up from her phone. 

"Tell her I'm okay and thanks for asking." Janis answered, fixing her hair so it covered her eye. Regina remembered that she used to see Janis walking around like this in school all the time, but she had never really thought much of it before. 

**regina:** she says she's okay and thanks for asking

 **regina:** we'll be right out

She extended her hand to Janis, pulling her off the tile and leading her out of the bathroom. Karen's face lit up when she saw Janis smiling. She grabbed Janis's hand, this time making sure not to hurt her. "I'm glad you guys are safe now."

Regina and Gretchen shared a hug, something that they've only recently started doing. "Okay, let's go get shitty food court stuff. I'm starving and upset and I want to talk to you guys about something." Regina said, linking her arm with Janis's, Janis linking her arm with Karen's, and Karen linking her arm with Gretchen's. "This is so much better without any tension between all of us."

"I love not having to worry about keeping up with all the rules anymore." Gretchen smiled, and it was the first genuine smile she had given anyone in a long time. "And I'm glad we can just be friends." 

"And I'm happy that I can wear vests!" Karen almost yelled, causing the rest of the girls to burst into giggles.

They found their table and Regina didn't want to let go of Janis's hand. So she didn't. "Your hand belongs to me now." She teased. Janis just smiled and nodded. She made a promise to herself that she'd never admit how much she liked Regina's possessive behavior. 

The rest of the day went normally, the girls all chattering about various topics. Then they all sensed a bit of tension. "Uh, I think it's time I actually talk to you guys." 

"Whatever it is, it's probably cool with us." Gretchen said, attempting to comfort her. 

"You're strong, 'Gina. And there's nothing too horrible you can say." Janis added, squeezing her hand and letting Regina lean on her. 

She let out a shaky sigh before beginning one of the hardest things she'd ever have to say. "I... I'm gay." No one responded. Gretchen and Karen stared, almost in disbelief. But Janis smiled. Regina felt a swell of pride in her knowing that she had done at least one thing right. 

Karen was the first to move, leaping forwards to hug her. "It's about time you figured it out!" 

"W-what? You-? What?" Regina fumbled over her words, not even beginning to know how to respond. 

"You outed Janis, but you didn't know she was gay. You did it to protect her from the girls that were teasing you two for being too close. Which backfired, clearly. But you had a crush on her, and you were scared she didn't like you back." Everyone's jaws dropped at how brilliant Karen sounded. "What? It wasn't obvious to you guys?" 

Regina and Janis shared a look. "We're two useless lesbians. I'm oblivious, Regina's... I don't even know. Of course we didn't notice." Janis laughed. 

"Anyways, um, there's a second part. Janis, can I have a hug before I say this?" Janis grinned, pulling her in for a hug. It felt like a wave of calm had washed over her, giving her enough courage to continue. "So, we're not sure exactly where we stand, like label-wise, but Jan and I are sorta dating. But we don't want to rush it." 

"Aww!" Gretchen and Karen squealed, Regina laughed, and Janis blushed. 

Regina sighed. "Okay, one more thing, I promise this is the last thing." Everyone waited, almost holding their breath in anticipation. "I want to come out to my mom."


	6. Reunion(ish)

Thankfylly, Regina's mom was easily the most accepting person on the planet. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so proud of you." 

"Thanks mom," She said shyly, looking over to Janis. 

"So you two are dating, I suppose?" Mrs. George asked calmly.

Regina blushed. Janis jumped in to answer. "Um, sort of, but we don't want to ruin it by going to fast. So not officially, but sort of." Regina nodded, her face still bright red, which made Janis laugh. 

Mrs. George laughed at the antics of the girls. "Alright, why don't you girls go watch a movie? I'll bring you some popcorn." 

Regina dropped her voice to a whisper as they walked away. "So what I'm hearing is we get to make out for an hour while playing a movie in the background?" Janis's face lit up and she nodded. "Sounds fun. I want you to lead because you need to be comfortable with everything we do." 

As soon as she shut the door to the bedroom, Janis pressed her against the door. "Is this okay?" Regina nodded. "Verbal consent." 

"Yes." And as soon as the word slipped from her mouth, Janis's lips we crashing against hers. Not gentle and soft like before. This time they moved against each other, finding a rhythm, eventually falling on the bed. 

They broke away, panting to catch their breath again. "That was really good." Janis stated plainly, having no idea what words to use to express how truly amazing she felt inside. "And I am exhausted." 

"We can cuddle instead if you want. We're not, like, obligated to do anything, you know?" Janis hummed, contemplating both outcomes. 

"Okay. Let's do that." She liked that Regina was willing to change their plans based on her comfort and well being, and she made sure that she'd do the same for Regina. "I love you so much." She sighed. 

"I love you too, babe." Regina brought her hand under the back of Janis's shirt causing her to flinch away. "I'm sorry, I wasn't going to hurt you, I was just going to rub your back." She sighed, relieved, and feeling much more safe in her arms. "Janis, I'd never hurt you. I wasn't thinking and that's my fault, so I don't blame you, but you are safe with me." Janis nodded, breathing in shakily. Regina rubbed her hand around her back, seeing Janis's eyelids begin to droop, she knew it was calming her down enough to fall asleep. "Goodnight, baby girl." 

"Night, 'Gina." She whispered.

The next morning, Mrs. George entered the room to see the girls tangled in each other. "Girls, I know you're probably exhausted, but I've got some good news for you." They both groaned but eventually made their way up and into the kitchen. "So, Shane has been expelled, the football team has been suspended, and Janis, they've switched your schedule so one of your friends is always with you just in case." 

Her mouth dropped open. "He's gone? I'm safe?" 

Regina jumped to hug her. "You're safe. He'll never hurt you again!" She said, in a hushed tone, but still full of enthusiasm. 

And Janis really wanted to believe her, but she knew that something was going to go wrong and she'd somehow get hurt again.

 **gaylien:** JANIS 

**str8boi:** JaNIS

 **gaylien:** JANMIS SARKISSIAN

 **str8boi:** JENNIFER SMIRKSALOT

 **janis:** who the fuck is "jennifer smirksalot" 

**str8boi:** IM NOT SURE WE JUST NEEDED YOUR ATTENTION

 **gaylien:** shane got FREAKING EXPELLED

 **janis:** BITCH WATCH YOUR FUCKING LANGUAGE 

**gaylien:** NEVER

 **janis:** BUT I KNEW THAT

 **gaylien:** oh

 **gaylien:** also can you come over later today

 **janis:** probably but i have to ask mrs george first

 **gaylien:** okay

"Mrs. George, Damian wants to know if I can come over later." 

"Oh, of course! Do you know if he's going to come pick you up, or should I drop you off?" She shrugged, looking down at her phone to text him. 

**janis:** she says okay but she wants to know if you're picking me up or not

 **gaylien:** ye i can pick you up

 **janis:** kk

She put down her phone and said, "He says he'll pick me up." 

"Okay, great." Regina's mother returned to reading some sort of article on her phone. "You should pack a bag, just in case." 

"I don't really have any stuff. It's all at my house." She said, sighing at the idea that she'd have to go back to the place where she was constantly abused of years, a slight paranoia that if she went back, she'd get hurt again. 

Regina must've seen her beginning to panic because she leaned over to whisper, "I'll go and get your stuff, just tell me what you need."

"You're a lifesaver." Regina shrugged, grinning. "I just need clothes and my school stuff. Which is pretty much all I own." 

"I'm bringing you your paints and stuff because I know you want them even if you won't admit it." Janis blushed. She knew Regina was right. It was just that she was already doing something nice, so it would be rude to ask for anything more than she needed. But honestly? She'd been itching to draw something for a while now. 

**janis:** regina's being nice to me and i feel bad 

**gaylien:** whats wrong with you

 **janis:** that's a loaded question

 **gaylien:** that's a big mood but really why

 **janis:** idk i guess i just feel bad because i'm staying at her house and she's going out of her way to go get my stuff from the house so i don't have flashbacks

 **gaylien:** ugh she clearly likes you back

 **janis:** oh i know. she found out because i'm an idiot

 **aaron:** NO SELF DEPRECATION 

**janis:** IT'S NOT I WAS JUST STATING A FACT

 **aaron:** you're making me sad :(

 **gaylien:** jANIS how RUDE

 **janis:** >:^( 

**aaron:** what the h*ck is that

 **janis:** me making fun of my nose, duh

 **gaylien:** sTOOPPPPPPPP

 **gaylien:** AARON TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT WE TEACHER HER TO LOVE HERSELF

 **janis:** there's literally nothing to love

 **aaron:** NO SHUT UP YOU MAY BE TINY BUT YOU'VE GOT A HUGE PERSONALITY

 **janis:** i hate this family

 **gaylien:** you're stuck bitch

 **janis:** :( 

**gaylien:** okay you can be a little bit unstuck but not completely

 **janis:** i'll be the aunt that's banned from thanksgiving but shows up anyway and gives the kids alcohol

 **aaron:** i'll be the really cryptic uncle who doesn't show up most times but when he does he's got dark, stormy grey eyes and is smoking a pipe on the front proch

 **gaylien:** are you guys okay?

 **janis:** ye but i have a sucky family 

**gaylien:** i'm so sorry 

**janis:** you didn't do anything wrong, you're the one that got me out of there

 **gaylien:** i know. i just really hated seeing you hurting and i'm sorry that i didn't get you out of there sooner. 

**janis:** i don't care that it wasn't sooner i'm just glad i'm safe now 

**gaylien:** well i'm happy

 **janis:** i'm tired of stuff being sappy can we just go back to normal

 **gaylien:** yeah

 **aaron:** GUYS HOW MUCH BLUE IS IN PINK I NEED TO KNOW

 **janis:** oh boy

 **gaylien:** idk it depends on how much pink you have, right? 

Janis rolled her eyes, smiling. She really did miss the pure chaotic energy of her friends. "I love them."


	7. Comfort

Regina  carefully  stepped into the dark, eerie, house. Blood stained the carpet. Holy shit. What did they do to her?  She trued to focus on looking straight forward, ignoring any signs of the horrific events that had occurred not too long ago in this house  . But thinking like that would do her no good. No one was coming to hurt her.  But she couldn't help remembering that Janis's parents had hurt her here, made her scream and cry here, and made her go through months,  maybe  even years of psychological torture . Janis Sarkisian is strong as fuck and I'll never think any less of her again. Regina promised herself. 

The room on the left. Go to the room on the left, grab her things, go home. Easy. Right...? She let her eyes fall upon Janis's room. A mattress on the ground, a few paintings on the walls with thumbtacks jammed into them. Hardly any sign of life. No color, nothing. The wallpaper was peeling off, revealing the white underneath. There were holes in the plaster of the walls,  probably  punched in by Janis. It explained her mangled knuckles. A little bit of blood on the ground, nothing too bad. But Regina kept the option open in her mind that it could be paint, but she knew what the truth was. 

Janis's clothes were in a pile on the ground, and Regina was unsure whether they were clean, but she'd throw them in the washer later on to be sure  . She scooped them into a bag and looked around for Janis's art supplied. There were a few sketchbooks around, paint tubes and brushes, a palette, and some of her canvases. "We'll get her more stuff later... I  really  want to get out of here."

She dropped the things in the back of her car, before driving back to her house, trying and failing to not think about the blood in the carpet and the fact that it was almost definitely Janis's . Janis was the one who unlocked the door for her. "Hey, love. How was it?" 

"Kinda scary." She admitted, handing Janis a bag to carry upstairs to their shared bedroom. "I can't stop thinking about what happened to you in that place." Janis sighed, sitting on the bed. 

"I won't sugarcoat it because you can handle it, it was horrific. I couldn't do anything without getting hit. And me coming out? I got hit a ton and then my dad threw a vase at me. It shattered and I had to pick out, like, twenty shards from my skin." Regina looked down at her hands, doing her best not to cry. "Hey, no! Don't cry, I'm okay!" 

"But you almost weren't." And Janis had no response, because Regina was right. "It's stupid. I know you're fine now."

Janis's more rough voice now took on a softer tone. "Oh, don't say that, love. You  are allowed  to feel  however  you feel, it's not stupid. I love you, Gina. I love you so much. Don't worry about me, alright? I'll be okay." 

"Janis..." She couldn't say anymore before beginning to sob. 

"I know. I know." She pulled Regina against her chest, rubbing up and down her back. "I'm here. I'm right here."

She sniffed. "You're so good at this." 

Janis began to stroke her hair. "You think?" She nodded. " Probably  my  motherly  instincts kicking in, actually." 

"What  motherly  instincts?" Regina mumbled into Janis's chest. 

Oh, right. She's got no idea because I hid it from everyone. "Um, I had a kid. She went up for adoption but, yeah. Remember how I went missing at the end of sophomore year?" Regina hummed to say yes. "Yeah, that's cause I was pregnant and didn't want anybody to know. Remember what Shane said in the bathroom about the football team?" She hummed again. "That's how it happened. I don't know who it was, I don't care, but I couldn't afford an abortion, and I couldn't afford to raise a kid, so, adoption. It was painful." 

"I'm gonna fucking murder them." She threatened. "You're incredible." 

"I'm held together by duct tape and gum." Janis deadpanned. "But thanks. So now you know my darkest secret. Not even Aaron knows."

Neither girl said anything for a little while, but then Regina spoke up. "Janis, I love you more than anything but you need a shower." She said, chuckling. 

Janis laughed with her. "I agree. It's about time for me to let you go, huh?" 

"Yeah. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow." She gave Regina a kiss before fishing out two shirts and some tights and shorts from the bag. From outside, they heard a honk. "That's my cue. Bye." And soon, she was gone.

"Hey, Jan." Damian said once Janis had slipped into the passenger's seat. "How're you doing?" 

She shrugged. "Fine. I haven't had time to do much thinking, so it hasn't gotten bad." 

He began backing out of the driveway. "Have you gotten overwhelmed at all?" 

"Uh, once, when I broke a glass, but Regina knows how to help, so it was okay." He nodded, focusing on the road, but reaching across to hold Janis's hand. "So, I told Regina about sophomore year." She tried to distract herself from getting emotional by playing with her rings but it didn't work for long. "She didn't seem mad about it, but I don't know. Now she has a _legit_ reason to call me a slut."

"Sweetheart, you're not a slut. It was their fault, not yours." Janis sighed. She knew he was right, but she still blamed herself. "Anyways, how's it living with Regina?" 

"I like it. I miss seeing you guys all the time. But I'm coming back to school next week now that Shane's gone." 

"Things are gonna get better from now on." 

If only he knew how wrong he was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got lazy so the sleepover will be the next chapter but i wanted to get this up


	8. I'm Broken, but It's Fine

Aaron carefully held Janis in his arms during the movie. "You know you don't have to be so careful. I'm not gonna break. I'm already broken." She joked. Aaron didn't laugh. "Aaron, I'm okay." 

"I know. I just get worried about you." He kissed the top of her head and she leaned into his chest. 

"So what have I missed at school?" She asked, just as Damian re-entered the living room. 

"Not much. People were talking about you though. Funny thing is they all suspect you're pregnant." She snorted, which turned into a full blown laugh. 

Aaron laughed along awkwardly. "Why are we laughing?" 

She looked over to Damian before admitting her secret for the second time that day. "Uh, I was... pregnant at the end of sophomore year." Aaron's eyes widened so wide, he looked like he had just popped out of a cartoon. "Anyways, no more sappy stuff. I'm tired of that." 

"Okay. You guys want to play a board game?" Janis lept up.

"Get ready to mop the floors!" She yelled. "That sounded so much better in my head." Janis admitted, looking absolutely defeated. "I... am feeling a lot less confident now." 

She looked down at her phone, opening Instagram to see a picture of her and Regina from when they were little with the caption, “So glad to have this perfect girl back in my life.” Three hundred and twenty two likes. That’s almost the whole school. 

She shot a text at Regina and didn't get a response for a while, so she tried to focus on setting up the board game. 

**regina:** Hey, what's up?

 **janis:** your post

 **janis:** are we ready to let everybody know?

 **regina:** I'm not ready to tell them that we're together, but I think it's okay to tell them that we're friends again. 

**janis:** okay 

**regina:** Now go have fun! Love you, J

 **janis:** "j?" 

**regina:** Oh my god, was that not okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I promise I won't do that again.

 **janis:** no its totally okay!! you didnt make me uncomfortable at all, i was just wondering where it came from

 **regina:** Oh! I was just thinking that cause "Jan" is what Aaron and Damian call you, and I kinda wanted to have my own nickname for you, I guess. 

**regina:** Wait, does that sound selfish?

 **janis:** no absolutely not! regina youre adorable

 **regina:** I'm sorry I keep doing this, I just want to make sure I'm not making you upset or uncomfortable or anything. 

**janis:** and i really appreciate that about you. but ill tell you if im worried or upset or uncomfortable. and same goes for you. you can always tell me if something doesnt feel right or if im dong something wrong

 **regina:** I love you, J.

 **janis:** i love you too

“Aww, you guys are cute.” Aaron teased, knowing it would embarrass her. 

“Shut up.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short, but I wanted to get something out there.


End file.
